The Wish
by Lost Voice
Summary: A look into the inner thoughts and feelings of the four sailor scouts as well as Darien throughout four days.
1. Time Gate

This is the third story in a series of four stories. The first story   
  
is Queen Serenity's Childhood, and the second story is called Beyond  
  
the Façade. The first story is not essential to the series, but it   
  
makes a few details in the second story make more sense and gives   
  
some background information on Queen Serenity. The second story  
  
however should be read to get the full idea of the next story.   
  
There should be about ten chapters plus a prologue and an epilogue   
  
in this story.  
  
Prologue, Time Gate:  
  
She stood at the gate and watched the destruction of the   
  
entire Silver Millennium Alliance, and she wept in misery and defeat.   
  
When she opened her eyes again, she saw Queen Serenity's ultimate   
  
brave sacrifice. Her breath was caught in her throat. *She is   
  
so selfless and brave,* Sailor Pluto thought to herself in   
  
admiration.   
  
  
  
She stood at the gate for many many hundreds of years, and   
  
as time passed she got more and more lonely and miserable. Each   
  
passing moment began to feel like an eternity to her. She stepped   
  
through the time gate once to join the people of Earth for a short   
  
time. She was so lonely she could not resist. She looked around at   
  
the cobblestone streets and the horses and carriages. She approached   
  
someone getting into a carriage. "Excuse me sir, but could I trouble   
  
you for the year?" she asked politely.   
  
  
  
"Seventeen hundred and seventy eight," answered the   
  
gentleman. "Have you knocked your head on something and forgotten   
  
things? Perhaps you should go to a hospital," he kindly suggested.  
  
  
  
She shook her head, distracted now by her own thoughts. The   
  
man looked at her strangely and then got into the carriage.  
  
  
  
She wandered around the area for some time alone, watching   
  
all the people walking across the edge of the street in their rags   
  
and the rich with their parasols, or if it was raining umberllas,   
  
and canes getting out and into their horse-drawn carriages. Her   
  
eyes flitted over the scene several times in wonder. Her curiousity   
  
thus satisfied, she went into a nearby bakery and there stood the   
  
man she had met earlier. *He must have taken the carriage to this   
  
store,* she thought briefly. When he saw her enter the store, he   
  
smiled at her and approached her. "Is there anything I can do to   
  
help you my lady? You seem lost."  
  
  
  
"Indeed...I am lost, but please do not trouble yourself. I   
  
just do not know this area very well. I should be fine in some   
  
time."  
  
  
  
"Ah, so you are from another area, but pray tell which area   
  
of England do you come from?"  
  
  
  
*So this is England.* "There is really nothing to tell,"   
  
she assured him. He did not seem convinced, but after asking for a   
  
loaf of bread and getting ready to exit the store, he asked her   
  
another question. "Would you like me to accompany you to wherever   
  
it is you are headed?"  
  
  
  
"I have nowhere to go," she admitted.  
  
  
  
"Now what is a beautiful lady like you doing in a foreign   
  
area of this country with no destination?" he asked curiously.  
  
  
  
"I am not sure," she admitted.  
  
  
  
"You may perhaps have amnesia," he said. "You see I am a   
  
doctor. I will lead you to the hospital and make sure you are   
  
looked after," he reassured her.  
  
  
  
She thought to herself for a moment. *If I say yes I get   
  
a chance to see him again,* she thought happily. "Yes, all right.   
  
Thank you kind sir," she said.  
  
  
  
"Anytime my lady," he said, tipping his hat at her.  
  
  
  
He then proceeded to take her to his carriage and then to   
  
the hospital. She lay in the white bed with the white walls   
  
surrounding her. She remained there for the next few nights   
  
visited often by this man, Charles. He soon declared that he could   
  
find nothing wrong with her, but he asked her to accompany him to   
  
his home and allow him to continue to look after her.   
  
  
  
She obliged readily, inwardly rejoicing at the thought of   
  
spending her days and nights with him. Charles did look after her,   
  
and they spent much time together-walking to the park, reading   
  
together, seeing plays, and many other exciting activities,   
  
together. He made her smile, and he made her heart flutter inside.   
  
*So this is the love everyone talks and writes about,* she thought   
  
happily.   
  
  
  
He took her dancing one night and proposed to her under   
  
the starlit sky. She gasped, and her breath caught in her throat.   
  
"Yes Charles," she joyfully agreed. "I would like nothing better   
  
than to be your wife," she said sincerely.   
  
  
  
The wedding was a gigantic one with people from all sides   
  
of Charles's family there to watch the two be wed.   
  
  
  
Their lifetime together was full of love and joy, but as he   
  
began getting older and older, she remained outwardly the same age.   
  
She had forgotten about living on for three milleniums. She still   
  
had much time left. In sorrow she watched as more of his body   
  
withered away each day. She sat with him devotedly and helped him   
  
as he grew older and older. One night, as death was drawing quite   
  
near, he broached the subject of how she had remained so young. She   
  
told him the honest truth as he died that night in her arms. Silent   
  
tears escaped from her sorrow-filled eyes. She sighed and vowed   
  
never to come back onto Earth until the others were reborn. She   
  
continued all her duties at her post without ever leaving the gate.   
  
In the time with her beloved Charles she had of course come back to   
  
the post often enough to do her duty, but not more than she had to   
  
spend to still enjoy her time with Charles and get her duties done.   
  
She made sure the timeline stayed secure of course, and now she   
  
resumed living at the time gate alone and lonely. Her whole heart   
  
ached for her love CHarles, but she knew he would never again hold   
  
her in his arms. She knew she could go back in time and meet him   
  
and go through the whole process again, but somehow she felt that   
  
was wrong. She decided to not do that in order to have closure and   
  
move on from him.   
  
  
  
As she waited, she was finally rewarded by hearing the   
  
cries of the newborn Amara. She continued to watch their lives from   
  
her post until they became sailor scouts, and she could join them.   
  
To Be Continued... 


	2. Meatball Head

Chapter One, Meatball Head:  
  
Meatball head-that was what everyone called her. How   
could they know that an intelligent, strong, thoughtful person   
lay beyond the exterior? *Maybe if someone actually bothered to   
look at me, really listen to me,* Serena thought in vexation.   
But no one ever did.  
  
She knew she was luckier than most. She had grown up   
with two parents who never abused one another or her. Two   
parents that made enough money for them all to live comfortably.   
She had a fun though annoying younger brother, Sammy. Still   
there was always that ache, that empty hole inside her soul.   
Some of it had been filled by her love, Darien. Some of it had   
been filled by her friends as well, but she had been forced to   
grow up at a young age. Not even fourteen years old when she   
fought her first Negaverse monster, and every day from then on  
more of her died with each next evil monster she was obligated   
to obliterate. Killing was not in her blood, not even killing   
evil monsters, and it never failed to kill a little part of her   
each time she had to kill one.   
  
There was another reason for the ache inside. Inside   
she yearned for her real mother, Serenity. It's not that she   
had bad parents, but they were not wonderful either. She   
couldn't have real, in-depth conversations with them like she   
vaguely remembered having with her original Lunarian mother.   
She had always seemed spacy and shallow to others. That was   
because she had been brought up in an environment that  
was shallow-filled with talk of the weather, shows, hairstyles,   
etc. She seemed spacy because she was lost in her own deep   
reflections.   
  
She looked at her watch and rushed out the door upon   
seeing that she was going to be late for the sailor scout   
meeting. She entered the room after running up the million   
flights of stairs up to the temple. She was gasping for breath,   
apologizing between gasps for her tardiness. Luna was annoyed   
to say the least. "Serena you need to start taking your   
responsibilities more seriously," she said in a commanding   
tone of voice. Serena tried to block her out while inside she   
felt a pierce in her heart, like a needle was poking it, but   
she knew it came from Luna's harsh words. "In fact you all   
need to take your responsibilities more seriously," Luna added.  
  
"Aw come on Luna we just want to have some fun," Mina   
said.  
  
"Yeah," Serena added in the same light tone of voice.   
Mina and Serena grinned and giggled together.  
  
Luna shook her head. "Queen Serenity made wishes for   
all of you so you would all have better lives, and you're all   
wasting your opportunity," she said sadly, walking out of the   
door to be by herself. Artemis looked at them all in distaste   
then followed Luna out the door to give her company and   
comfort.   
  
Amy was looking down in guilt. Raye was also pondering   
the words of Luna. Mina and Serena got Lita up to dance with   
them and try to forget the harsh words of the cat who never   
let them have any fun.  
  
They walked along the sidewalk. "We're going to the   
arcade, the arcade, arcade, arcade, arcaaade," sung Mina   
happily. Serena skipped along with her as Lita trailed behind,   
walking normally but watching her two best friends in   
amusement.  
  
"What's so funny Lita??" Serena questioned in a joking   
manner, popping up in front of her.   
  
Lita caught her breath in her throat. "Geez don't ever   
scare me like that again Serena." She closed her eyes for a   
few moments and regained her composure as she took deep   
breaths.   
  
"Last one to the arcade is a rotten sailor!" exclaimed   
Mina. Lita ran off at top speed.  
  
"No fairrrrrr," Serena whined. "You guys got a head   
start. I don't wannaaaa run."  
  
Lita and Mina giggled and waited up for her. She was   
with her friends, but she still felt alone and lonely inside.   
Sometimes people were right that even among a crowd of   
friends, one could feel so alone inside.  
  
The next day she went shopping with Mina, Lita, and   
Raye. "How does this outfit look?" Mina asked, coming out of   
the dressing room of her favorite shop with a new red outfit   
on.   
  
"Wow," Raye said as Lita and Serena's mouths hung   
open.  
  
"You look gorgeous girl!" Lita exclaimed.  
  
"Thank you," she said happily.  
  
They all continued to search for the perfect outfits   
and tried various clothings as well as accessories on. Some met   
with approval, some were maybes, and some got a look that said   
they definitely needed to be trashed by the other three   
friends. When all four were done they decided to go try to   
meet Amy at the museum to head to a movie.  
  
Later that evening the inners were all having a   
sleepover with Hotaru. "Take that!" Lita exclaimed as she   
threw a pillow straight at Raye's head.  
  
"oh you're gonna be soo sorry you did that!"   
exclaimed Raye, hitting Lita with a pillow full force. Lita   
grunted, and they all laughed at the funny expression on Lita's   
face.  
  
"How about we play Truth or Dare?" Raye suggested.  
  
"Yeah!" Mina agreed.  
  
"No way," Serena said.  
  
"Let's not play that," Hotaru requested.   
  
"Oh all right," Raye said, giving into Serena and   
Hotaru. An unusual occurrence that they both were thankful   
for.  
  
They all sat down in their sleeping bags and ate some   
milk and cookies while they were each lost in their own   
thoughts before Hotaru finally suggested they watch a movie,   
and everyone else agreed. There was much debating as to which   
movie to watch, but eventually they settled on watching a   
romantic and dramatic action/comedy to give everyone a taste   
of what they liked best in a movie.  
  
On the next day she was grounded while everyone else   
got to go ice skating. Serena sighed as she looked at the   
walls of her room in complete boredom. She had Only been   
twenty minutes late after curfew, but it didn't stop her   
parents from grounding her. It wasn't fair.  
The others were probably having a great time ice skating   
without her she thought miserably.  
  
Serena ran into the meeting the next day right on   
time. She was glad. She didn't want another one of Raye's   
temper tantrums or Luna's lectures. She was already feeling   
really crappy about herself. She took a seat and focused her   
attention on Luna. "We call this meeting to order!" Luna   
announced as all the sailor soldiers sat down in their   
respective chairs in human form.   
  
"Really LUna, things have been quiet for awhile. Is   
it actually necessary to continue to have all these weekly   
meetings?" Mina asked.  
  
"I suppose bimonthly would be enough now," she   
reluctantly conceded.   
  
Mina smiled and Serena shouted "Yippee."   
  
"It's nice to finally have some peace," Hotaru   
commented. The others nodded their heads in agreement.  
  
Seeing as there were no new events or fears, the   
meeting was quickly over.  
  
Later that day she got the luxury of seeing her love   
Darien at Darien's apartment.   
  
"Darien," she purred, hanging onto his arm as her   
long blond pigtails almost got in the way of his mouth   
moving towards hers. They kissed passionately, and she lay   
in his arms on the couch in bliss. They relished every moment   
alone together.  
  
Her mother knocked on her door and entered. "Serena,   
you need to clean your room," she said in aggravation.   
Serena sighed and complied rather than go through the   
drudgery of her usual whining routine. Her mother was always   
nitpicking her to keep her room clean and insisted on a clean   
house. Strange the way parents are. Strange the way people   
are-nitpicking on their studies, talents, appearances,   
cleaning, running, cooking, and entire self. When in the end   
what did that all matter? When all was said and done, and one   
was at the end of life, did one remember how clean one's   
appearance or house was or how well one played the violin or   
how well one did in school? No. One remembered the love and   
closeness of friends and family. So why did humans constantly   
nitpick and criticize themselvews and others so much when in   
the end it didn't even matter? Would one remain behind known   
as the one with the clean house or the one with the   
compassionate, kind heart and giving soul? She knew   
compassion was what would last on in people's hearts and   
memories long after accomplishments and appearances had   
faded. She strived to be a sympathetic, caring person because   
she knew how rare and important those qualities were. Life   
was hard. She hoped to be remembered as one who lent a   
helping hand when others had fallen. She knew that was how   
she would always remember the sailor soldiers, Darien, and   
Molly. Still the deaths she caused haunted her day and night.   
What if that was how she was remembered? As the cold-hearted   
killer of evil monsters rather than the girl with the big   
heart? She did not sleep much at night with the guilt and the   
fear.  
  
To Be Continued... 


	3. Genius

Chapter Two, Genius:  
  
She sat down at her desk to begin studying, but for once she had   
serious trouble studying or concentrating on anything for that   
matter. She closed her eyes, leaned back in her chair, and thought to   
herself for awhile. *It's exhausting living up to everyone's   
expectations of me,* she thought tiredly.  
  
She was known as the genius, but she wasn't really much smarter   
than anyone else. She had simply studied hard and applied her mind.   
Serena could probably do almost as well in school if she just focused   
and did all the required work Amy felt. How true that statement is   
may never be known for sure, but it was definitely hard work that helped   
get Amy that title. She was tired of always being known simply by her   
intelligence though. Yes she enjoyed school and worked hard and was   
responsible, but she had her own inner demons too. She had long ago  
worked hard to get someone's attention. That's right. She was a super   
achiever because she hoped it would bring her absent father home. No   
such luck she thought ironically. He never had come back. She knew he   
was divorced from her mother and that he was an artist who needed to  
travel for his job, but he also had a famiy and a daughter that he   
conveniently forgot to ever visit or help take care of. Sure he sent   
child support, but the money wasn't what she wanted or needed. She   
needed to get his attention and love. *Nothing I do will ever get his   
attention though,* Amy thought miserably as she closed her textbook and   
put it away in her backpack. *No use trying to study when I get like   
this,* she silently realized. She looked at her watch. Almost time for   
the sailor soldier meeting. She didn't want to be late.  
  
When she got there, Luna and Raye were the only ones there. Lita  
came in next. Mina was a tad bit late, and Serena came running in  
breathless a fair amount of time later.  
  
"Serena you need to start taking your responsibilities more   
seriously," she said in a commanding tone of voice. "In fact you all   
need to take your responsibilities more seriously," Luna added.  
  
"Aw come on Luna we just want to have some fun," Mina said.  
  
"Yeah," Serena added in the same light tone of voice. Mina and   
Serena grinned and giggled together.  
  
Luna shook her head. "Queen Serenity made wishes for all of you   
so you would all have better lives, and you're all wasting your  
opportunity," she said sadly, walking out of the door to be by herself.   
Artemis looked at them all in distaste then followed Luna out the  
door to give her company and comfort.   
  
Amy was looking down in guilt. *Did we really fail Queen Serenity   
when she gave us a new chance at life?* she wondered in guilt. Raye  
was also pondering the words of Luna. Mina and Serena got Lita up to   
dance with them and try to forget the harsh words of the cat who never   
let them have any fun.  
  
After the meeting, she went walking around downtown for awhile   
before she met back up with Raye and Luna to train. "Where are   
those three?" Luna asked in exasperation.  
  
"They went to the arcade," Raye informed the curious cat.   
  
Luna sighed. "At least Mars and Mercury came to train," Artemis   
said hopefully.  
  
Luna sighed again. "We need them all to come to the training   
sessions. I swear those three don't take anything seriously, especially  
Serena."  
  
"You're always hardest on her," Amy commented.  
  
"Well she is my charge. I daresay it would do Mina some good if   
Artemis were stricter with her as well, but as it is Mina probably  
controls Artemis more than he controls her."  
  
"I'm not looking to control or be controlled by anyone," said   
Artemis.  
  
"Maybe you're right." Luna sighed again. "It's just so hard to   
know what to do anymore."  
  
"I don't think you're too hard on her Luna. I think Mina and   
Serena need that," Raye chimed in.  
  
"Aww just let them have some fun," said Artemis.  
  
"Meanwhile let's all train," Amy said. The others nodded their   
heads in agreement. "Mercury Power!!"  
  
"Mars Power!!" shouted Raye.  
  
In a twirl of lights the two sailor soldiers of Mercury and Mars   
stood before the guardian cats to commence training.  
  
The next day was an important one for Amy as she was going with   
her after school club to see a new art exhibit at the nearby  
museum. She was walking through the museum looking at all the paintings.   
As she turned the corner, Amy bumped into somebody. She   
jumped back, her cheeks flushed and her head looking down in   
embarrassment. "Oh I'm so sorry, so sorry," she repeated breathlessly.  
  
"No problem Amy. I didn't know you were going to the museum   
today. Fancy meeting you here," said the tall Darien in a light pink  
shirt.  
  
"Oh Darien, so nice to see you. I'm here with my after school   
history club," she said.  
  
"Oh I see. It's really an interesting historical display," he   
commented.  
  
"Really?" she asked as the other kids began entering the area as   
well.   
  
"Sure, I'll show you around all right?"  
  
"Great!" she said enthusiastically.  
  
"You know it's really nice to have someone to share this with.   
Serena doesn't really appreciate the finer things in life," he confided.  
  
"That's no secret," Amy giggled. "Ah well we love her just the   
way she is."  
  
"That we do," Darien admitted, a grin on his face at the thought   
of his other half.  
  
That evening she packed up her bag to go over to Raye's temple   
for the inners' sleepover. *Well not really just inners. After all   
Hotaru was invited too.*  
  
"Take that!" Lita exclaimed as she threw a pillow straight at   
Raye's head.  
  
"oh you're gonna be soo sorry you did that!" exclaimed Raye,   
hitting Lita with a pillow full force. Lita grunted, and they all   
laughed at the funny expression on Lita's face.  
  
"How about we play Truth or Dare?" Raye suggested.  
  
"Yeah!" Mina agreed.  
  
"No way," Serena said.  
  
"Let's not play that," Hotaru requested.   
  
"Oh all right," Raye said, giving into Serena and Hotaru. An   
unusual occurrence that they both were thankful for.  
  
They all sat down in their sleeping bags and ate some milk and   
cookies while they were each lost in their own thoughts before Hotaru  
finally suggested they watch a movie, and everyone else agreed. There   
was much debating as to which movie to watch, but eventually they  
settled on watching a romantic and dramatic action/comedy to give   
everyone a taste of what they liked best in a movie.  
  
Amy sighed quietly and leaned back on the couch cushion. She   
really wasn't in the mood for seeing a romance even with action and   
comedy and drama, but she wisely kept her mouth shut since the other   
five finally actually agreed on something. She vaguely listened to the   
movie as she was lost in her own thoughts.  
  
The next day Amy found a seat in the library to read in with   
Trista.   
  
Trista and Amy sat in the big chairs in the library reading   
their books. Amy had one out on Quantam Physics and Trista was reading   
up on alternate dimensional theories.   
  
They smiled at each other and sat down to their quiet reading   
time together, each relishing the alone time and quietness.  
  
There was a meeting for all the sailor soldiers the next day.   
Amy slowly got out of bed, prepared though not excited to face a new  
day.  
  
"We call this meeting to order!" Luna announced as all the   
sailor soldiers sat down in their respective chairs in human form.   
  
"Really LUna, things have been quiet for awhile. Is it   
actually necessary to continue to have all these weekly meetings?"   
Mina asked.  
  
"I suppose bimonthly would be enough now," she reluctantly   
conceded.   
  
Mina smiled and Serena shouted "Yippee."   
  
"It's nice to finally have some peace," Hotaru commented. The   
others nodded their heads in agreement.  
  
Seeing as there were no new events or fears, the meeting was   
quickly over.  
  
After the meeting was over, she agreed to meet Michelle for   
swimming races.   
  
Amy and Michelle took deep breaths as they dived into the   
pool and raced against one another. Each breathing hard at the end   
after a strenuous race that they did several times over. Michelle   
winning the first two, them tying the next one, and Amy winning the   
last one.  
  
That night Amy went to bed with the questions and thoughts   
running through her mind. Would she ever be good enough to attract   
her father's attention? Would her mother ever stop during her busy   
day schedule to really see and hear her own daughter? Would Amy ever   
be good enough for her father, her mother, her friends, or herself?   
The hardest of all was herself. She never felt good enough, no matter   
how high of a score she got on her test or how well she did in school   
or anything else for that matter. Beneath that genius lay an insecure,   
scared little girl who fought evil with her brains.  
  
To Be Continued... 


	4. Beauty

Chapter Three, Beauty:  
  
Beautiful. When people described Amy they said intelligent.   
  
When people described Raye they said insightful. When people   
  
described Lita they said strong. When people described Serena they   
  
said caring. When people described her they said beautiful.  
  
  
  
Insight and intelligence were useful. Strength got you   
  
through. Caring was a trait very selfless and helpful in the   
  
world, but what was beauty used for? Nothing. It was a shallow,   
  
superficial short lasting quality based on appearance. And it was   
  
all she had. Mina bowed her head in shame as she went to bed with   
  
these thoughts racing through her mind. She would never be anything   
  
but a pretty face. She sighed as she turned off the light to go to   
  
sleep. How she envied the others with their useful, selfless,   
  
helpful traits while she had nothing but a beautiful face that  
  
was fleeting anyway. One day she wouldn't be this beautiful   
  
anymore, and then what would she have? *Nothing,* she felt.   
  
Absolutely nothing.  
  
  
  
The next day she walked into the meeting, only a little   
  
late. Serena wasn't far behind Mina though.  
  
  
  
"Serena you need to start taking your responsibilities   
  
more seriously," she said in a commanding tone of voice. "In fact   
  
you all need to take your responsibilities more seriously," Luna   
  
added.  
  
  
  
"Aw come on Luna we just want to have some fun," Mina   
  
said.  
  
  
  
"Yeah," Serena added in the same light tone of voice.   
  
Mina and Serena grinned and giggled together.  
  
  
  
Luna shook her head. "Queen Serenity made wishes for all of   
  
you so you would all have better lives, and you're all wasting your  
  
opportunity," she said sadly, walking out of the door to be by   
  
herself. Artemis looked at them all in distaste then followed Luna   
  
out the door to give her company and comfort.   
  
  
  
Amy was looking down in guilt. Raye was also pondering the   
  
words of Luna. Mina and Serena got Lita up to dance with them and   
  
try to forget the harsh words of the cat who never let them have   
  
any fun.  
  
  
  
Mina was excited to be going to the arcade after the inner   
  
scout meeting. They walked along the sidewalk. "We're going to the   
  
arcade, the arcade, arcade, arcade, arcaaade," sung Mina happily.   
  
Serena skipped along with her as Lita trailed behind, walking   
  
normally but watching her two best friends in amusement.  
  
  
  
"What's so funny Lita??" Serena questioned in a joking   
  
manner, popping up in front of her.   
  
  
  
Lita caught her breath in her throat. "Geez don't ever   
  
scare me like that again Serena." She closed her eyes for a few   
  
moments and regained her composure as she took deep breaths.   
  
  
  
"Last one to the arcade is a rotten sailor!" exclaimed   
  
Mina. Lita ran off at top speed.  
  
  
  
"No fairrrrrr," Serena whined. "You guys got a head start.   
  
I don't wannaaaa run."  
  
  
  
Lita and Mina giggled and waited up for her.  
  
  
  
The next day Mina enjoyed a shopping spree with Serena,   
  
Lita, and Raye.   
  
  
  
"How does this outfit look?" Mina asked, coming out of the   
  
dressing room of her favorite shop with a new red outfiet on.   
  
  
  
"Wow," Raye said as Lita and Serena's mouths hung open.  
  
  
  
"You look gorgeous girl!" Lita exclaimed.  
  
  
  
"Thank you," she said happily.  
  
  
  
They all continued to search for the perfect outfits and   
  
tried various clothings as well as accessories on. Some met with   
  
approval, some were maybes, and some got a look that said they   
  
definitely needed to be trashed by the other three friends. When   
  
all four were done they decided to go try to meet Amy at the   
  
museum to head to a movie.  
  
  
  
That night was a sleepover for all the inners and Hotaru.   
  
  
  
"Take that!" Lita exclaimed as she threw a pillow straight   
  
at Raye's head.  
  
  
  
"oh you're gonna be soo sorry you did that!" exclaimed   
  
Raye, hitting Lita with a pillow full force. Lita grunted and they   
  
all at the funny expression on Lita's face.  
  
  
  
"How about we play Truth or Dare?" Raye suggested.  
  
  
  
"Yeah!" Mina agreed.  
  
  
  
"No way," Serena said.  
  
  
  
"Let's not play that," Hotaru requested.   
  
  
  
"Oh all right," Raye said, giving into Serena and Hotaru.   
  
An unusual occurrence that they both were thankful for.  
  
  
  
They all sat down in their sleeping bags and ate some milk   
  
and cookies while they were each lost in their own thoughts before   
  
Hotaru finally suggested they watch a movie, and everyone else   
  
agreed. There was much debating as to which movie to watch, but   
  
eventually they settled on watching a romantic and dramatic   
  
action/comedy to give everyone a taste of what they liked best in   
  
a movie.  
  
  
  
The next day was an exciting time ice skating with   
  
Michelle, Amara, Hotaru, Lita, Raye, and Darien.   
  
  
  
Darien lifted Raye up into the air and spun her around on   
  
the ice. They were all out for a fun time of ice-skating. Everyone   
  
that is except Serena who was grounded and Amy as well as Trista   
  
who were reading. "Do you think Serena will be jealous when she   
  
hears about this?" Lita asked in a teasing manner.  
  
  
  
Darien dropped Raye, who landed on her butt. "You better   
  
not tell her," Raye hissed.  
  
  
  
Lita laughed. "Relax, I won't," she promised. "But it   
  
would be hilarious if I did..."  
  
  
  
Raye glared at her. "All right. All right. Calm down," Lita   
  
said, her hands up in the air.  
  
  
  
Amara lifted Michelle into the air and spun her around   
  
longer than Darien. "Ha," Michelle said. "My love is better than   
  
yours," she teased Raye.  
  
  
  
Darien blushed and Raye glared at her as she stood up.   
  
  
  
Hotaru and Mina were practicing their spins together.  
  
  
  
An all scout meeting met the next day.  
  
  
  
"We call this meeting to order!" Luna announced as all the   
  
sailor soldiers sat down in their respective chairs in human form.   
  
  
  
"Really LUna, things have been quiet for awhile. Is it   
  
actually necessary to continue to have all these weekly meetings?"   
  
Mina asked.  
  
  
  
"I suppose bimonthly would be enough now," she reluctantly   
  
conceded.   
  
  
  
Mina smiled and Serena shouted "Yippee."   
  
  
  
"It's nice to finally have some peace," Hotaru commented.   
  
The others nodded their heads in agreement.  
  
  
  
Seeing as there were no new events or fears, the meeting   
  
was quickly over.  
  
  
  
Then she stayed at the outers' house for a vegging out   
  
session with Hotaru.  
  
  
  
Mina burped as Hotaru came out of the kitchen at the   
  
outers' house with a tray full of more goodies. They both sighed   
  
in contentment as they dug into their food. "Everybody needs a   
  
good binge now and then," Mina said in her characteristically   
  
cheerful mood."  
  
  
  
"Amen to that," Hotaru agreed, happily digging into some   
  
dessert.  
  
  
  
Mina sighed heavily as she got into bed that night. She   
  
had had a good day, but what about Alan? She still thought about   
  
him most every day though the constant pain had become more of a   
  
dull ache in her stomach. She missed him and her best friend   
  
dearly, but she also knew that despite missing her they must be   
  
very happy together. She was glad to be living with her father now.   
  
He wasn't perfect, but he did his best. Anyway he was a better   
  
parent than her mother would ever be. Her mother would always   
  
blame things on everybody else including her father, but Mina knew   
  
the marriage had failed because of her mother's impossible   
  
expectations. Not because her father wasn't good enough.  
  
That gave her some comfort because it also meant that despite not   
  
being good enough for her mother, it didn't mean she wasn't a good   
  
enough person. Her mother had set impossibly high expectations   
  
for her daughter too. *All those years I tried so hard to be the   
  
perfect little girl she wanted, and all that time wasted because   
  
I never was good enough for her no matter how hard I tried or how   
  
much I accomplished,* Mina thought sadly.  
  
  
  
She looked out her window as she finished brushing her   
  
hair and looked in the mirror. *Was this all she was?* she wondered   
  
again. *Just a pretty face?* At least her father thought she was   
  
more, and for now that would have to be enough for her.  
  
  
  
To Be Continued... 


	5. Fiery Priestess

Chapter Four, Fiery Priestess:  
  
Work your hardest to get the best results. That was what   
  
Raye firmly believed in, and she stuck to that value, that   
  
principle. She devoted her life to working hard, focusing on the   
  
present so as not to have to deal with the unnamed past. So as to   
  
bury the past and just work in the here and now to be her best at   
  
everything. It gave her a good sense of accomplishment, futhered   
  
her own education and chance for a good career, and it allowed her   
  
to avoid the pains of the past. Her diligent work ethic was a big   
  
part of what made it so hard for her to understand Serena's (and   
  
to a certain extent Mina's) lack of work ethic. She had had   
  
horrible things happen in her life, and she had come out fighting   
  
and working hard to get somewhere in life while Serena lazed   
  
around. Serena astounded her. She was so wise about emotional   
  
things, but when it came to the spiritual and working hard, she was   
  
clueless. She was getting somewhere in her life all right, but what   
  
Raye didn't realize was that she had also cut off from the world   
  
and from herself to avoid feeling the pain of the past. She was in   
  
denial and someday she would have to snap out of it. Today however   
  
was not that day. She dressed herself and quickly ran her   
  
toothbrush over her teeth and gargled and spit into the sink. She   
  
went outside where Luna and Artemis were already waiting to start   
  
the inner scouts' meeting. Serena was the latest as usual.  
  
  
  
"Serena you need to start taking your responsibilities   
  
more seriously," she said in a commanding tone of voice. "In fact   
  
you all need to take your responsibilities more seriously," Luna   
  
added.  
  
  
  
"Aw come on Luna we just want to have some fun," Mina said.  
  
  
  
"Yeah," Serena added in the same light tone of voice. Mina   
  
and Serena grinned and giggled together.  
  
  
  
Luna shook her head. "Queen Serenity made wishes for all   
  
of you so you would all have better lives, and you're all wasting   
  
your opportunity," she said sadly, walking out of the door to be   
  
by herself. Artemis looked at them all in distaste then followed   
  
Luna out the door to give her company and comfort.   
  
  
  
Amy was looking down in guilt. Raye was also pondering   
  
the words of Luna. Mina and Serena got Lita up to dance with them   
  
and try to forget the harsh words of the cat who never let them   
  
have any fun.  
  
  
  
Afterwards Raye got prepared to do the training session   
  
with Amy, the only other one to show up.  
  
  
  
"Where are those three?" Luna asked in exasperation.  
  
  
  
"They went to the arcade," Raye informed the curious cat.   
  
  
  
Luna sighed. "At least Mars and Mercury came to train,"   
  
Artemis said hopefully.  
  
  
  
Luna sighed again. "We need them all to come to the   
  
training sessions. I swear those three don't take anything   
  
seriously, especially Serena."  
  
  
  
"You're always hardest on her," Amy commented.  
  
  
  
"Well she is my charge. I daresay it would do Mina some   
  
good if Artemis were stricter with her as well, but as it is Mina   
  
probably controls Artemis more than he controls her."  
  
  
  
"I'm not looking to control or be controlled by anyone,"   
  
said Artemis.  
  
  
  
"Maybe you're right." Luna sighed again. "It's just so   
  
hard to know what to do anymore."  
  
  
  
"I don't think you're too hard on her Luna. I think Mina   
  
and Serena need that," Raye chimed in.  
  
  
  
"Aww just let them have some fun," said Artemis.  
  
  
  
"Meanwhile let's all train," Amy said. The others nodded   
  
their heads in agreement. "Mercury Power!!"  
  
  
  
"Mars Power!!" shouted Raye.  
  
  
  
In a twirl of lights the two sailor soldiers of Mercury   
  
and Mars stood before the guardian cats to commence training.  
  
  
  
The next day she went shopping with Serena, Mina, and   
  
Lita. Amy was going to some museum thing with her after-school   
  
class. Raye tried really hard to enjoy the time they all spent   
  
together, but in the back of her mind she was beginning to feel   
  
more and more depressed every single day. It had been weeks now   
  
that this blue period had lasted which is why she was beginning   
  
to think it really was depression.  
  
  
  
"How does this outfit look?" Mina asked, coming out of   
  
the dressing room of her favorite shop with a new red outfiet on.   
  
  
  
"Wow," Raye said as Lita and Serena's mouths hung open.  
  
  
  
"You look gorgeous girl!" Lita exclaimed.  
  
  
  
"Thank you," she said happily.  
  
  
  
They all continued to search for the perfect outfits and   
  
tried various clothings as well as accessories on. Some met with   
  
approval, some were maybes, and some got a look that said they   
  
definitely needed to be trashed by the other three friends. When   
  
all four were done they decided to go try to meet Amy at the  
  
museum to head to a movie.  
  
  
  
That night the inner scouts had a sleepover with Hotaru.   
  
  
  
Take that!" Lita exclaimed as she threw a pillow straight   
  
at Raye's head.  
  
  
  
"oh you're gonna be soo sorry you did that!" exclaimed   
  
Raye, hitting Lita with a pillow full force. Lita grunted, and   
  
they all laughed at the funny expression on Lita's face.  
  
  
  
"How about we play Truth or Dare?" Raye suggested.  
  
  
  
"Yeah!" Mina agreed.  
  
  
  
"No way," Serena said.  
  
  
  
"Let's not play that," Hotaru requested.   
  
  
  
"Oh all right," Raye said, giving into Serena and Hotaru.   
  
An unusual occurrence that they both were thankful for.  
  
  
  
They all sat down in their sleeping bags and ate some   
  
milk and cookies while they were each lost in their own thoughts   
  
before Hotaru finally suggested they watch a movie, and everyone   
  
else agreed. There was much debating as to which movie to watch,   
  
but eventually they settled on watching a romantic and dramatic   
  
action/comedy to give everyone a taste of what they liked best in   
  
a movie.  
  
  
  
The next day she tried again to enjoy herself and failed   
  
miserably while going ice skating with Michelle, Amara, Hotaru,   
  
Lita, Mina, and Darien.   
  
  
  
Darien lifted Raye up into the air and spun her around on   
  
the ice. They were all out for a fun time of ice-skating.   
  
Everyone that is except Serena who was grounded and Amy as well   
  
as Trista who were reading. "Do you think Serena will be jealous   
  
when she hears about this?" Lita asked in a teasing manner.  
  
  
  
Darien dropped Raye, who landed on her butt. "You better   
  
not tell her," Raye hissed.  
  
  
  
Lita laughed. "Relax, I won't," she promised. "But it   
  
would be hilarious if I did..."  
  
  
  
Raye glared at her. "All right. All right. Calm down,"   
  
Lita said, her hands up in the air.  
  
  
  
Amara lifted Michelle into the air and spun her around   
  
longer than Darien. "Ha," Michelle said. "My love is better than   
  
yours," she teased Raye.  
  
  
  
Darien blushed and Raye glared at her as she stood up.   
  
  
  
Hotaru and Mina were practicing their spins together.  
  
  
  
The next day was a meeting for all the sailor scouts.   
  
Raye almost lost track of time and missed the meeting, but she   
  
happened to catch a glance at the clock a few minutes before it   
  
was time and rushed down to the outers' house.  
  
  
  
"We call this meeting to order!" Luna announced as all   
  
the sailor soldiers sat down in their respective chairs in human   
  
form.   
  
  
  
"Really Luna, things have been quiet for awhile. Is it   
  
actually necessary to continue to have all these weekly meetings?"   
  
Mina asked.  
  
  
  
"I suppose bimonthly would be enough now," she reluctantly   
  
conceded.   
  
  
  
Mina smiled and Serena shouted "Yippee."   
  
  
  
"It's nice to finally have some peace," Hotaru commented.   
  
The others nodded their heads in agreement.  
  
  
  
Seeing as there were no new events or fears, the meeting   
  
was quickly over.  
  
  
  
After the meeting she went outside and saw Trista   
  
standing on the balcony as well. They were silent for awhile   
  
before one finally spoke.  
  
  
  
The long black hair mingled with the long dark green hair   
  
that blew in the wind on the balcony. Raye and Trista were having   
  
a serious discussion about their worries that new enemies would be   
  
arriving soon.  
  
  
  
"And with all the time we've had off I'm worried they're   
  
going to be really tough ones, and we won't be prepared," Raye   
  
said.  
  
  
  
Trista nodded her head. "I know what you mean. We need to   
  
keep training and meeting as hard if not harder to prepare for   
  
what's to come."  
  
  
  
"Do you know something Trista?" Raye asked.  
  
  
  
"Not exactly. It's more of a feeling you know."  
  
  
  
"Yeah I know exactly what you mean. I have the same   
  
feeling."  
  
  
  
Raye pondered those words as she unsuccessfully tried to   
  
fall asleep that night. The memories of her parents abandoning her   
  
left her with no rest. Those same memories she had tried so long to   
  
fight against, to suppress, were finally coming to the surface, and   
  
the scout of Mars was not the one paying the price. It was that   
  
sad, lost, lonely little girl who had lost her mother in a fire and   
  
her father to business that caused her heartwrenching pain that night.  
  
To Be Continued... 


	6. Strong Tomboy

Chapter Five, Strong Tomboy:  
  
She put away the last dish in her cupboard before going into   
  
the other room of the apartment to sit on the sofa and watch some   
  
television. However she did not turn on the television set. Instead   
  
she sat on the couch, lost in her own thoughts. She had had such a  
  
lonely life before meeting Serena and the others. She sighed and went   
  
over their first meeting in her mind. Serena hadn't been frightened  
  
of her like everyone else. Serena looked beyond the outside of   
  
others. All of them did really, and she was glad for that. Still her   
  
past haunted her. She had always been the least popular. Just as Amy   
  
had always been considered a nerd, she had always been the strong   
  
freak. The one no one else wanted anything to do with. It had been   
  
a lonely life, and losing her parents in that plane crash had made it   
  
all the more lonely. She missed them so much. The constant ache   
  
inside that got dulled with time but never went away. Probably never   
  
would. She sniffled as her eyes got watery. She may have been seen   
  
as a strong freak to everybody else, but she had feelings like   
  
everyone else. In fact she was really a very sensitive soul. She was   
  
glad that the others saw that, that the others saw beyond the   
  
fighter in her to the cook and ice skater, to the sensitive soul   
  
inside. Perhaps she reacted too strongly with her feelings, but she   
  
had always believed in following one's heart and fighting for what   
  
one believed in, and she had always done just that.  
  
  
  
She sighed again, the deep painful sigh of a girl forced to   
  
grow up way too soon. The sigh of a girl living on her own despite  
  
everyone else still living with their parents. Well except for the   
  
outers, but they were older. She felt so alone.  
  
  
  
She got dressed and ran to Raye's temple so as not to be   
  
late for the meeting.  
  
  
  
Mina came in after her, and Serena ran in a few minutes   
  
later.  
  
  
  
"Serena you need to start taking your responsibilities more   
  
seriously," she said in a commanding tone of voice. "In fact you all   
  
need to take your responsibilities more seriously," Luna added.  
  
  
  
"Aw come on Luna we just want to have some fun," Mina said.  
  
  
  
"Yeah," Serena added in the same light tone of voice. Mina   
  
and Serena grinned and giggled together.  
  
  
  
Luna shook her head. "Queen Serenity made wishes for all of   
  
you so you would all have better lives, and you're all wasting your  
  
opportunity," she said sadly, walking out of the door to be by   
  
herself. Artemis looked at them all in distaste then followed Luna   
  
out the door to give her company and comfort.   
  
  
  
Amy was looking down in guilt. Raye was also pondering the   
  
words of Luna. Mina and Serena got Lita up to dance with them and   
  
try to forget the harsh words of the cat who never let them have   
  
any fun.  
  
  
  
Then she went to the arcade with Mina and Serena.  
  
  
  
They walked along the sidewalk. "We're going to the arcade,   
  
the arcade, arcade, arcade, arcaaade," sung Mina happily. Serena   
  
skipped along with her as Lita trailed behind, walking normally but   
  
watching her two best friends in amusement.  
  
  
  
"What's so funny Lita??" Serena questioned in a joking   
  
manner, popping up in front of her.   
  
  
  
Lita caught her breath in her throat. "Geez don't ever scare   
  
me like that again Serena." She closed her eyes for a few moments  
  
and regained her composure as she took deep breaths.   
  
  
  
"Last one to the arcade is a rotten sailor!" exclaimed Mina.   
  
Lita ran off at top speed.  
  
  
  
"No fairrrrrr," Serena whined. "You guys got a head start. I   
  
don't wannaaaa run."  
  
  
  
Lita and Mina giggled and waited up for her.  
  
  
  
The next day she got excited to go shopping with Serena,   
  
Mina, and Raye.  
  
  
  
"How does this outfit look?" Mina asked, coming out of the   
  
dressing room of her favorite shop with a new red outfiet on.   
  
  
  
"Wow," Raye said as Lita and Serena's mouths hung open.  
  
  
  
"You look gorgeous girl!" Lita exclaimed.  
  
  
  
"Thank you," she said happily.  
  
  
  
They all continued to search for the perfect outfits and   
  
tried various clothings as well as accessories on. Some met with   
  
approval, some were maybes, and some got a look that said they   
  
definitely needed to be trashed by the other three friends. When all   
  
four were done they decided to go try to meet Amy at the museum to   
  
head to a movie.  
  
  
  
That evening she grabbed her sleeping bag and headed over to   
  
the sleepover with the rest of the inner scouts and Hotaru.  
  
  
  
"Take that!" Lita exclaimed as she threw a pillow straight   
  
at Raye's head.  
  
  
  
"oh you're gonna be soo sorry you did that!" exclaimed Raye,   
  
hitting Lita with a pillow full force. Lita grunted, and they all  
  
laughed at the funny expression on Lita's face.  
  
  
  
"How about we play Truth or Dare?" Raye suggested.  
  
  
  
"Yeah!" Mina agreed.  
  
  
  
"No way," Serena said.  
  
  
  
"Let's not play that," Hotaru requested.   
  
  
  
"Oh all right," Raye said, giving into Serena and Hotaru.   
  
An unusual occurrence that they both were thankful for.  
  
  
  
They all sat down in their sleeping bags and ate some milk   
  
and cookies while they were each lost in their own thoughts before   
  
Hotaru finally suggested they watch a movie, and everyone else   
  
agreed. There was much debating as to which movie to watch, but   
  
eventually they settled on watching a romantic and dramatic   
  
action/comedy to give everyone a taste of what they liked best in   
  
a movie.  
  
  
  
The next day several of them went ice skating.  
  
  
  
Darien lifted Raye up into the air and spun her around on   
  
the ice. They were all out for a fun time of ice-skating. Everyone   
  
that is except Serena who was grounded and Amy as well as Trista who   
  
were reading. "Do you think Serena will be jealous when she hears   
  
about this?" Lita asked in a teasing manner.  
  
  
  
Darien dropped Raye, who landed on her butt. "You better not   
  
tell her," Raye hissed.  
  
  
  
Lita laughed. "Relax, I won't," she promised. "But it would   
  
be hilarious if I did..."  
  
  
  
Raye glared at her. "All right. All right. Calm down," Lita   
  
said, her hands up in the air.  
  
  
  
Amara lifted Michelle into the air and spun her around   
  
longer than Darien. "Ha," Michelle said. "My love is better than   
  
yours," she teased Raye.  
  
  
  
Darien blushed and Raye glared at her as she stood up.   
  
  
  
Hotaru and Mina were practicing their spins together.  
  
  
  
The next day was a meeting for all the scouts.  
  
  
  
"We call this meeting to order!" Luna announced as all the   
  
sailor soldiers sat down in their respective chairs in human form.   
  
  
  
"Really LUna, things have been quiet for awhile. Is it   
  
actually necessary to continue to have all these weekly meetings?"   
  
Mina asked.  
  
  
  
"I suppose bimonthly would be enough now," she reluctantly   
  
conceded.   
  
  
  
Mina smiled and Serena shouted "Yippee."   
  
  
  
"It's nice to finally have some peace," Hotaru commented.   
  
The others nodded their heads in agreement.  
  
  
  
Seeing as there were no new events or fears, the meeting   
  
was quickly over.  
  
  
  
Later that day she raced with Amara.  
  
  
  
"On your mark, get set, Go!" Amara exclaimed as she and   
  
Lita took off from their starting points. They were racing each   
  
other, running hard four times around the track to see who could   
  
run a mile fastest. Amara won of course, but Lita sure gave her a   
  
tough win.  
  
  
  
"Thanks for the tough competition," Amara said.  
  
  
  
Lita bowed to Amara in respect and awe. "Wow you're   
  
probably the only one who could beat me Amara."  
  
  
  
"Yeah, maybe but I have a feeling if you had stayed on   
  
the inside part of the track with me that we would have tied," the   
  
tall girl reluctantly admitted.   
  
  
  
Lita smiled. "You really think so? Thanks. It's an honor   
  
to be compared to you!" she exclaimed happily. Amara laughed and   
  
smiled as they went their seperate ways home.  
  
  
  
Lita plopped down on the couch again as soon as she got   
  
home. She hadn't had anything for dinner, but truthfully she   
  
didn't feel hungry. Which was surprising. Food was sometimes the   
  
only thing that would fill that empty void in her. She still felt   
  
it today, but strangely enough she still didn't want any food. She   
  
was tired, exhausted really, of always being the strong, tough one.   
  
She hated being vulnerable to others. She suspected Amara felt the   
  
same, but still it would be nice to not always put on that mask of   
  
toughness and pretend to always manage everything okay when inside   
  
she was a scared little girl missing her parents deeply.  
  
To Be Continued... 


	7. Talented

Chapter Six, Talented:  
  
  
  
She held her mother's hair with her hands, gripping tight   
  
as her mother threw up in the toilet. She sighed and sat beside   
  
her puking mother on the bathroom floor. She was used to this.   
  
She had been doing it with both of her parents for as far back   
  
as she could remember.  
  
  
  
Her mother reeled and almost passed out trying to stand   
  
up. "Mich ellee," she slurred her words, her eyes like the crazy   
  
eyes of a beast roaming everywhere. "Did you get a perfect score   
  
on your umm your grade, test I mean?" she asked as she turned   
  
her head back toward the toilet to puke yet again.  
  
  
  
"Yes mother." There had been no test that day, but   
  
Michelle didn't bother to tell her mother that. No use making   
  
their conversation more complicated for her drunk mother.   
  
  
  
"Good. We expect nothing but the best," her mother said,   
  
trying to sound stern as she passed out on the floor. Michelle   
  
sighed and picked her up and put her back in bed with her father   
  
who had already passed out awhile ago. She left her parents'   
  
house to go for a walk, hoping she would see someone. In   
  
particular she was hoping to run into Amara. She knew Amara would   
  
probably either be at the track training or the race car garage   
  
preparing for a new race. She headed towards the track first.   
  
She sighed and imagined her baby embracing her and holding her   
  
close with her strong arms. A spring came into her step and for   
  
awhile imagining Amara's face put out the faces of her   
  
demanding, always drunk parents.  
  
  
  
When she eventually found Amara, who was at the race car   
  
track after all, they went out to eat.  
  
  
  
The waiter came by to ask them what they wanted. "Are   
  
you two girls waiting for anyone else?" the waiter asked.  
  
  
  
"Do you see anyone else?" Amara asked sarcastically.  
  
  
  
"Well I thought maybe your family or some other friends   
  
might be coming." Amara's eyes narrowed. "No family huh? Sorry   
  
about that," and he ran off.  
  
  
  
"Amara you really should give the poor boy a break. How   
  
was he to know that we don't have nice families?"  
  
  
  
"People should just stop assuming," grumbled Amara, but   
  
a gentle touch on her arm by her beloved calmed her down.  
  
  
  
They ate their meal in silence, each absorbed in her own   
  
thoughts.  
  
  
  
That night they returned to the outers' house to hang   
  
out with Trista and Hotaru. The next morning Michelle was still   
  
lying in bed as the rest of the house woke up.  
  
  
  
"There's no peanut butter left in the fridge!" yelled   
  
the usually quiet Hotaru.   
  
  
  
"Check the bottom shelf towards the very back!" Amara   
  
yelled back as she entered the kitchen.  
  
  
  
"So you're finally up? Ah, here it is."  
  
  
  
"Yes I'm up. It's Michelle that takes twenty years to   
  
get out of bed in the morning," joked Amara.  
  
  
  
Trista nodded her head in agreement as she entered the   
  
kitchen. "So what are you making with peanut butter small one?"   
  
she asked Hotaru in endearment.   
  
"Just a peanut butter and banana sandwich," Hotaru   
  
responded.  
  
  
  
"Sounds yummy," mumbled Michelle as she walked into the   
  
kitchen, yawning. She looked at the clock. "What am I doing up   
  
before noon?"she wondered out loud as she saw the digits   
  
reading 10:08 a.m.  
  
  
  
"I don't know, but I plan to take advantage of it,"   
  
Amara teased, coming up and tickling her love from behind.   
  
  
  
"Hey!" Michelle said between giggles. Soon they were   
  
both on the floor rolling around in laughter as Hotaru and   
  
Trista looked back and forth at the scene before them and each   
  
other.   
  
Hotaru raised her eyebrows. "They are strange ones,"   
  
Trista commented as she left the kitchen with Hotaru who had her   
  
sandwich in hand.  
  
  
  
Later that day the outer scouts had a meeting.   
  
  
  
"I call this meeting to order!" Trista commanded as   
  
Hotaru, Michelle, and Amara took their appointed seats for the   
  
outer scouts' meeting.  
  
  
  
There have not been any major attacks in awhile,"   
  
Trista observed out loud. The others nodded their heads to   
  
show that they understood and noticed. "Any suggestions on how   
  
we should be prepared?"  
  
  
  
"First of all we need to make sure our guards are no   
  
less down than if we had just had an attack. It's easy to almost   
  
forget about our other life when the attacks are few and far   
  
between," said Amara.  
  
  
  
The others nodded their heads again in agreement. "So   
  
true," Trista said quietly.   
  
  
  
"I say otherwise we just continue with our regular   
  
training and meetings," Amara finished.  
  
  
  
Michelle and Hotaru nodded their heads in agreement.  
  
  
  
"All right," Trista quietly agreed.  
  
That night Michelle and Amara had a discussion with   
  
Trista. Hotaru had gone to Raye's temple for a sleepover. The   
  
others remained behind. Michelle sighed. She had sort of wanted   
  
to go to the sleepover, but she didn't want to miss the   
  
discussion Amara and Trista had wanted to have. Sometimes she   
  
wondered if they worried too much, but then again better safe   
  
than sorry she reasoned with herself.  
  
  
  
The three sailor soldiers were sitting at home having a   
  
discussion. "Do you think we're missing out on anything?"   
  
Michelle asked.  
  
  
  
"Nah," Amara said. "Just girly stuff."  
  
  
  
Michelle giggled and leaned her head on Amara's   
  
shoulder. "I'm sure you're right love."  
  
  
  
Trista stared at the two of them as she smiled. "You   
  
know you two would have died to be as free as this back in the   
  
Moon Kingdom."  
  
  
  
"Tell us about it," Michelle requested.  
  
  
  
"Well...there isn't much to tell. Just the usual stuff.   
  
Your parents would not accept two women being in love and   
  
refused to let you see one another."  
  
  
  
"Did we eventually win them over?"  
  
  
  
"The war started soon afterwards, so who knows. But I   
  
think you would never have been able to win them over to be   
  
honest. They were all such traditionalists back then," Trista   
  
said honestly.  
  
  
  
Michelle and Amara grunted in disgust.   
  
"Traditionalists," they both said in disgust.  
  
  
  
The next day everyone but Serena and Trista and Amy  
  
went ice skating. Michelle enjoyed herself immensely.  
  
  
  
Darien lifted Raye up into the air and spun her around   
  
on the ice. They were all out for a fun time of ice-skating.   
  
Everyone that is except Serena who was grounded and Amy as well   
  
as Trista who were reading. "Do you think Serena will be   
  
jealous when she hears about this?" Lita asked in a teasing   
  
manner.  
  
  
  
Darien dropped Raye, who landed on her butt. "You   
  
better not tell her," Raye hissed.  
  
  
  
Lita laughed. "Relax, I won't," she promised. "But   
  
it would be hilarious if I did..."  
  
  
  
Raye glared at her. "All right. All right. Calm down,"   
  
Lita said, her hands up in the air.  
  
  
  
Amara lifted Michelle into the air and spun her around   
  
longer than Darien. "Ha," Michelle said. "My love is better   
  
than yours," she teased Raye.  
  
  
  
Darien blushed and Raye glared at her as she stood up.   
  
  
  
Hotaru and Mina were practicing their spins together.  
  
The next day was the meeting for all the sailor scouts.   
  
"We call this meeting to order!" Luna announced as all the   
  
sailor soldiers sat down in their respective chairs in human   
  
form.   
  
"Really LUna, things have been quiet for awhile. Is it   
  
actually necessary to continue to have all these weekly   
  
meetings?" Mina asked.  
  
"I suppose bimonthly would be enough now," she   
  
reluctantly conceded.   
  
Mina smiled and Serena shouted "Yippee."   
  
"It's nice to finally have some peace," Hotaru   
  
commented. The others nodded their heads in agreement.  
  
Seeing as there were no new events or fears, the meeting was   
  
quickly over.  
  
After the meeting, Michelle raced with Amy in a swim   
  
competition. She was glad to get to race her again.   
  
  
  
Amy and Michelle took deep breaths as they dived into   
  
the pool and raced against one another. Each breathing hard   
  
at the end after a strenuous race that they did several times   
  
over. Michelle winning the first two, them tying the next   
  
one, and Amy winning the last one.  
  
*Will I ever be good enough for my parents?* Michelle   
  
wondered as she lay down next to Amara in bed. It didn't   
  
really matter anymore she tried to convince herself. She had   
  
a love and a nice house with Trista and Hotaru as well as her   
  
and Amara, but secretly inside she constantly ached for their   
  
approval. No matter how hard she tried or how well she did   
  
they never noticed her. She was there for them almost every   
  
time they got drunk. She did extremely well in school,   
  
practically perfect. It was the practically that got to her.  
  
She wanted to be completely perfect. She played the violin   
  
and painted very well, but neither of her parents noticed   
  
that. They only noticed every little thing she did wrong,   
  
criticized it, demanded more from her, and forced her to be   
  
the adult of the house at a young age by always going off   
  
and getting drunk nearly every night. She turned over   
  
towards Amara who put her arms around her love. "Michelle,   
  
I love you." She sighed and snuggled into her baby's arms.   
  
The three words she had never heard from her parents. A   
  
tear slipped out of her eye.  
  
To Be Continued... 


	8. Tall and Fearless

Chapter Seven, Tall and Fearless:  
  
Walking up the steps, Amara opened the door to the outers'   
  
house. *Home.* She went into the living room and then went upstairs   
  
and back to her and Michelle's bedroom. She looked through the   
  
door and then stepped in. She went into the bathroom. Michelle   
  
wasn't there. *She probably has to take care of her parents   
  
again,* Amara thought to herself. She sighed and flopped down on   
  
the bed. Sometimes she just wished so badly that she could go   
  
over to Michelle's parents' house and pound them into the   
  
ground. Tell them to wake up and see their daughter and stop   
  
depending on her to take care of them and get them out of all   
  
their messes. Other times she actually felt a bit jealous of   
  
Michelle. At least she had parents. Two parents that stayed the   
  
same and a house that also remained the same. *At least I have   
  
a home now,* Amara thought briefly. A home with her love Michelle   
  
and the one they considered their daughter, Hotaru, and the   
  
mysterious Trista. Still she had never had a home before, so yes   
  
sometimes she was jealous of Michelle. Well all right she had   
  
been to plenty of houses, strung along to a new foster family   
  
practically every year, sometimes monthly. She couldn't even   
  
remember the first two families. The third family had been okay.   
  
The fourth family had been the toughest. The foster dad had   
  
touched Amara in places that she couldn't get out of her head.   
  
She had only been eight years old. Amara cut off that memory. It   
  
was too painful. She banished it from her mind. Yes sometimes she   
  
was jealous of Michelle and the fact that every year, every month   
  
she returned to the same house, but then again it was only a   
  
house. A house somewhat like many of the houses she had stayed   
  
in. Not a home for Michelle. And none of thoses places had been   
  
a home for her either. No, home was this place. Now she and  
  
Michelle finally had a place of their own, a place to call home.   
  
So maybe Michelle and her were both unlucky after all. Amara   
  
sighed and turned on the radio to listen to some music. Music   
  
could always calm her. It was best when it came from Michelle's   
  
violin, but the radio would do for now.  
  
  
  
Later she got dressed to go to the race track and get her   
  
mind off things. Eventually Michelle found her, and she joined   
  
Michelle at the restaurant they had agreed to go to.  
  
  
  
The waiter came by to ask them what they wanted. "Are you   
  
two girls waiting for anyone else?" the waiter asked.  
  
  
  
"Do you see anyone else?" Amara asked sarcastically.  
  
  
  
"Well I thought maybe your family or some other friends   
  
might be coming." Amara's eyes narrowed. "No family huh? Sorry   
  
about that," and he ran off.  
  
  
  
"Amara you really should give the poor boy a break. How   
  
was he to know that we don't have nice families?"  
  
  
  
"People should just stop assuming," grumbled Amara, but a   
  
gentle touch on her arm by her beloved calmed her down.  
  
  
  
They ate their meal in silence, each absorbed in her own   
  
thoughts.  
  
  
  
That night Amara hung out with the other outers at their   
  
home.  
  
  
  
"There's no peanut butter left in the fridge!" yelled the   
  
usually quiet Hotaru.   
  
  
  
"Check the bottom shelf towards the very back!" Amara   
  
yelled back as she entered the kitchen.  
  
  
  
"So you're finally up? Ah, here it is."  
  
  
  
"Yes I'm up. It's Michelle that takes twenty years to get   
  
out of bed in the morning," joked Amara.  
  
  
  
Trista nodded her head in agreement as she entered the   
  
kitchen. "So what are you making with peanut butter small one?"   
  
she asked Hotaru in endearment.   
  
  
  
"Just a peanut butter and banana sandwich," Hotaru   
  
responded.  
  
  
  
"Sounds yummy," mumbled Michelle as she walked into the   
  
kitchen, yawning. She looked at the clock. "What am I doing up   
  
before noon?" she wondered out loud as she saw the digits   
  
reading 10:08 a.m.  
  
  
  
"I don't know, but I plan to take advantage of it," Amara  
  
teased, coming up and tickling her love from behind.   
  
  
  
"Hey!" Michelle said between giggles. Soon they were both   
  
on the floor rolling around in laughter as Hotaru and Trista   
  
looked back and forth at the scene before them and each other.   
  
  
  
Hotaru raised her eyebrows. "They are strange ones,"   
  
Trista commented as she left the kitchen with Hotaru who had her   
  
sandwich in hand.  
  
  
  
The next day the outer scouts had an official meeting.   
  
"I call this meeting to order!" Trista commanded as Hotaru,   
  
Michelle, and Amara took their appointed seats for the outer   
  
scouts' meeting.  
  
  
  
There have not been any major attacks in awhile,"   
  
Trista observed out loud. The others nodded their heads to   
  
show that they understood and noticed. "Any suggestions on how   
  
we should be prepared?"  
  
  
  
"First of all we need to make sure our guards are no less   
  
down than if we had just had an attack. It's easy to almost   
  
forget about our other life when the attacks are few and far   
  
between," said Amara.  
  
  
  
The others nodded their heads again in agreement. "So   
  
true," Trista said quietly.   
  
  
  
"I say otherwise we just continue with our regular   
  
training and meetings," Amara finished.  
  
  
  
Michelle and Hotaru nodded their heads in agreement.  
  
  
  
"All right," Trista quietly agreed.  
  
The three sailor soldiers were sitting at home having a   
  
discussion. "Do you think we're missing out on  
  
anything?" Michelle asked.  
  
  
  
"Nah," Amara said. "Just girly stuff."  
  
  
  
Michelle giggled and leaned her head on Amara's shoulder.  
  
"I'm sure you're right love."  
  
  
  
Trista stared at the two of them as she smiled. "You know   
  
you two would have died to be as free as this back in the Moon   
  
Kingdom."  
  
  
  
"Tell us about it," Michelle requested.  
  
  
  
"Well...there isn't much to tell. Just the usual stuff.   
  
Your parents would not accept two women being in love and   
  
refused to let you see one another."  
  
  
  
"Did we eventually win them over?"  
  
  
  
"The war started soon afterwards, so who knows. But I   
  
think you would never have been able to win them over to be   
  
honest. They were all such traditionalists back then," Trista   
  
said honestly.  
  
  
  
Michelle and Amara grunted in disgust.   
  
"Traditionalists," they both said in disgust.  
  
The next day Amara joined many of the other sailor   
  
soldiers in ice skating.  
  
  
  
Darien lifted Raye up into the air and spun her around   
  
on the ice. They were all out for a fun time of ice-skating.   
  
Everyone that is except Serena who was grounded and Amy as well   
  
as Trista who were reading. "Do you think Serena will be   
  
jealous when she hears about this?" Lita asked in a teasing   
  
manner.  
  
  
  
Darien dropped Raye, who landed on her butt. "You   
  
better not tell her," Raye hissed.  
  
  
  
Lita laughed. "Relax, I won't," she promised. "But it   
  
would be hilarious if I did..."  
  
  
  
Raye glared at her. "All right. All right. Calm down,"   
  
Lita said, her hands up in the air.  
  
  
  
Amara lifted Michelle into the air and spun her around   
  
longer than Darien. "Ha," Michelle said. "My love is better   
  
than yours," she teased Raye.  
  
  
  
Darien blushed and Raye glared at her as she stood up.   
  
Hotaru and Mina were practicing their spins together.  
  
The next day was an all scouts meeting.  
  
  
  
"We call this meeting to order!" Luna announced as all   
  
the sailor soldiers sat down in their respective chairs in   
  
human form.   
  
  
  
"Really LUna, things have been quiet for awhile. Is it   
  
actually necessary to continue to have all these weekly   
  
meetings?" Mina asked.  
  
  
  
"I suppose bimonthly would be enough now," she   
  
reluctantly conceded.   
  
  
  
Mina smiled and Serena shouted "Yippee."   
  
  
  
"It's nice to finally have some peace," Hotaru   
  
commented. The others nodded their heads in agreement.  
  
  
  
Seeing as there were no new events or fears, the   
  
meeting was quickly over.  
  
After the meeting, they all split up. Amara saw   
  
Michelle go off towards the pool with Amy, so she challenged   
  
Lita to a race. Lita gladly accepted.  
  
  
  
"On your mark, get set, Go!" Amara exclaimed as she   
  
and Lita took off from their starting points. They were racing   
  
each other, running hard four times around the track to see   
  
who could run a mile fastest. Amara won of course, but Lita   
  
sure gave her a tough win.  
  
  
  
"Thanks for the tough competition," Amara said.  
  
  
  
Lita bowed to Amara in respect and awe. "Wow you're   
  
probably the only one who could beat me Amara."  
  
  
  
"Yeah maybe, but I have a feeling if you had stayed   
  
on the inside part of the track with me that we would have   
  
tied," the tall girl reluctantly admitted.   
  
  
  
Lita smiled. "You really think so? Thanks. It's an   
  
honor to be compared to you!" she exclaimed happily. Amara   
  
laughed and smiled as they went their seperate ways home.  
  
It had been a good race Amara decided. Michelle   
  
snuggled into her arms in their large comfy bed, and she   
  
sighed in contentment. She had been through hell with all   
  
those different families, but here she finally had a home,   
  
a family, someone to call her lover. Yes perhaps life had   
  
some meaning after all.  
  
To Be Continued... 


	9. Masked Man

Chapter Eight, Masked Man:  
  
Abandon. Serena would abandon him. *Serena will abandon   
  
me just like my parents did. Just like everyone abandonded me,   
  
she will too,* Darien thought in despair. He sat down on his   
  
couch and put his face in his hands and began to cry, sob   
  
actually, tears running down his face and snot running down his   
  
nose. He sniffled and just cried like a little child letting   
  
all the years of abandonment, years of losing his family,  
  
years of friends abandoning him and people giving him a hard   
  
time at the orphanage, years of all this pain seeping out   
  
through his eyes in the form of tears. Full of force,   
  
everything just hit him and he bawled on the couch.  
  
  
  
Later that day Darien went out, and to get his mind off   
  
everything that had hit him last night he went to the lake. He   
  
stood beside the water. Serena he knew had been at the inner   
  
scout meeting earlier today, and now he knew she was going to   
  
the arcade with Mina and Lita. So he had some peaceful time to   
  
himself to reflect. He stood looking out at the water and   
  
breathed a deep sigh. He had homework to do, so he knew he should   
  
be heading home. But the ripples in the tranquil lake soothed his   
  
soul. So he stayed awhile longer.  
  
  
  
The next afternoon Darien went to the museum to look at   
  
the paintings and get his mind off of his past.   
  
  
  
As she turned the corner, Amy bumped into somebody. She   
  
jumped back, her cheeks flushed and her head looking down in   
  
embarrassment. "Oh I'm so sorry, so sorry," she repeated   
  
breathlessly.  
  
  
  
"No problem Amy. I didn't know you were going to the   
  
museum today. Fancy meeting you here," said the tall Darien in a   
  
light pink shirt.  
  
  
  
"Oh Darien, so nice to see you. I'm here with my after   
  
school history club," she said.  
  
  
  
"Oh I see, it's really an interesting historical   
  
display," he commented.  
  
  
  
"Really?" she asked as the other kids began entering the   
  
area as well.   
  
  
  
"Sure, I'll show you around all right?"  
  
  
  
"Great!" she said enthusiastically.  
  
  
  
"You know it's really nice to have someone to share this   
  
with. Serena doesn't really appreciate the finer things in   
  
life," he confided.  
  
  
  
"That's no secret," Amy giggled. "Ah well we love her   
  
just the way she is."  
  
  
  
"That we do," Darien admitted, a grin on his face at the   
  
thought of his other half.  
  
That night Darien read a book in his apartment, leaning   
  
back in his comfy chair to lose himself in a good story. After   
  
finishing the book sometime later, he sat in front of the   
  
fireplace and watched the dancing flames. The sparks shooting up   
  
into the air, and he was reminded of Raye. Raye was intriguing   
  
but meant nothing more than a friend to him. He knew she had   
  
grown up without her parents too, so it gave them something in   
  
common. He knew she understood what it meant to struggle to be   
  
independent on all on her own without the support  
  
of either parent since one was dead and the other absent. Still   
  
she had a grandpa that cared for her as much as any parent   
  
would. No one had ever taken Darien from the orphanage. So he   
  
had grown up with other kids and with staff members who were   
  
just there for the paycheck. No real parents figure at all and   
  
that left a gaping hole in his heart, his soul. He also had a   
  
lot in common with Trista he reflected. Two lonely, solitary   
  
figures, but she had had parents hadn't she? He wasn't really   
  
sure. Perhaps he should have had the most in common with  
  
Lita who had also lost both parents and in an airplane crash   
  
instead of a car crash. He didn't feel like he had a whole lot   
  
in common with her though except for perhaps the independent   
  
nature and knowledge of living on one's own they both had. He   
  
was glad she didn't have to go to one of those horrible   
  
orphanages. Maybe that was the difference between them...his   
  
parents had died when he was much younger, and he had had to   
  
have a whole new life devoid of meaning at that horrible   
  
orphanage. And worst of all he couldn't remember. Couldn't   
  
remember a single second of his time with them. Did it hurt more   
  
to remember? Or was it some kind of a comfort to have the good   
  
memories to warm one's heart? He wasn't sure, but he knew at   
  
the very least he ached for just one memory, one thing to   
  
remember his parents by.  
  
The next day he was looking forward to going ice   
  
skating with his beloved, but she was grounded it turned out.   
  
Still he didn't want to ruin the whole evening, so he did go   
  
ice skating with Amara, Michelle, Hotaru, Lita, MIna, and Raye.  
  
  
  
Darien lifted Raye up into the air and spun her around   
  
on the ice. They were all out for a fun time of ice-skating.   
  
Everyone that is except Serena who was grounded and Amy as   
  
well as Trista who were reading. "Do you think Serena will be   
  
jealous when she hears about this?" Lita asked in a teasing   
  
manner.  
  
  
  
Darien dropped Raye, who landed on her butt. "You   
  
better not tell her," Raye hissed.  
  
  
  
Lita laughed. "Relax, I won't," she promised. "But it   
  
would be hilarious if I did..."  
  
  
  
Raye glared at her. "All right. All right. Calm down,"   
  
Lita said, her hands up in the air.  
  
  
  
Amara lifted Michelle into the air and spun her around   
  
longer than Darien. "Ha," Michelle said. "My love is better   
  
than yours," she teased Raye.  
  
  
  
Darien blushed and Raye glared at her as she stood up.   
  
  
  
Hotaru and Mina were practicing their spins together.  
  
The next day while the others were having an all scout   
  
meeting, Darien wandered through the park, dreaming of his   
  
beloved Serena and the future he hoped they would have   
  
together. He sighed in contentment at the thought of her.   
  
Later that day his beloved came over to his apartment   
  
to spend some time with him, and he relished every moment with   
  
her. "Darien," she purred, hanging onto his arm as her long   
  
blond pigtails almost got in the way of his mouth moving   
  
towards hers. They kissed passionately, and she lay in his   
  
arms on the couch in bliss. They relished every moment alone   
  
together.   
  
He lay down in his bed, but sleep would not come.   
  
Beads of prespiration ran down his face as he restlessly fell   
  
into a nightmare. He woke up suddenly, gasping for breath and   
  
running out onto his balcony to cool off and think privately.   
  
He sighed and brushed his feet along the ground, feeling it   
  
beneath him and reminding himself that it was only a   
  
nightmare. *Serena would never leave me,* he silently   
  
reassured himself. His breathing was still ragged as he tried   
  
to take slow, deep breaths. Inside his soul was a missing   
  
piece, a piece that couldn't be filled by Serena or any of   
  
his few friends. A piece that only his parents could fill.   
  
But they never would. And he knew this but still his soul   
  
ached for a mother to hold him, a father to pick him up.   
  
Parents or even one parent. Someone who meddled in his life   
  
and cared about where he was, what he was doing, how he was   
  
doing. Someone who would help him out, not leave him all out   
  
in the cold, cruel world to fend for himself helplessly. Well   
  
perhaps not helplessly because he had made it hadn't he. Had   
  
his own place, paid his own bills, was making his way   
  
through school. But who could he share these things with?   
  
Serena and his friend Andrew perhaps, but it wasn't the same   
  
as the love of parents that he had never experienced.  
  
To Be Continued... 


	10. Time

Chapter Nine, Time:  
  
She was old, very old. More than a millennium she had lived,   
  
but she felt as though she were older and had lived longer. She   
  
felt as old as the time gate. A time gate that had been around for   
  
a very long time and had seen countless guardians of time. Sailor   
  
Pluto sighed a deep sigh and allowed her mind to wander. Her   
  
crimson, garnet colored eyes glittered like the garnet colored   
  
jewel on her tiara. She was used to being alone. Now being with   
  
the scouts was difficult. Sometimes she could barely bring herself   
  
to wake up as Trista and spend time with all the scouts. Michelle   
  
and Amara were easier to be around. Hotaru too. But she still   
  
felt that grat chasm between her and them. The great chasm that   
  
she felt separating her from the entire world. She wondered if   
  
she would ever feel like part of this world. Her childhood still   
  
existed in the past, during the Silver Millennium. A past she   
  
would rather not remember, but she was still haunted by it.  
  
Most of all though she felt like she still belonged in the Silver   
  
Millennium, not here in this strange century with these foreign   
  
people. Even more than she wanted to exist in the Silver   
  
Millennium though she wanted to exist in the eighteenth century   
  
with her love. A love that had died a long time ago, and a huge   
  
part of her heart died along with him. She felt like she had   
  
just a small piece of her heart left for anyone else. The only   
  
thing to comfort her was knowing she was fighting for love and   
  
justice, keeping the world safe from monsters.  
  
Trista sat quietly at home, staring into the fire.   
  
Thoughts dancing through her mind like the flames dancing in   
  
the fire. Fleeting doubts, curiousities, and thoughts   
  
flickering in her mind.   
  
  
  
The rest of the outers showed up at the house later to   
  
spend some time together.  
  
  
  
"There's no peanut butter left in the fridge!" yelled   
  
the usually quiet Hotaru.   
  
  
  
"Check the bottom shelf towards the very back!" Amara   
  
yelled back as she entered the kitchen.  
  
  
  
"So you're finally up? Ah, here it is."  
  
  
  
"Yes I'm up. It's Michelle that takes twenty years to   
  
get out of bed in the morning," joked Amara.  
  
  
  
Trista nodded her head in agreement as she entered the   
  
kitchen. "So what are you making with peanut butter small one?"   
  
she asked Hotaru in endearment.   
  
  
  
"Just a peanut butter and banana sandwich," Hotaru   
  
responded.  
  
  
  
"Sounds yummy," mumbled Michelle as she walked into   
  
the kitchen, yawning. She looked at the clock. "What am I   
  
doing up before noon?" she wondered out loud as she saw the   
  
digits reading 10:08 a.m.  
  
  
  
"I don't know, but I plan to take advantage of it,"   
  
Amara teased, coming up and tickling her love from behind.   
  
  
  
"Hey!" Michelle said between giggles. Soon they were   
  
both on the floor rolling around in laughter as Hotaru and   
  
Trista looked back and forth at the scene before them and   
  
each other.   
  
  
  
Hotaru raised her eyebrows. "They are strange ones,"   
  
Trista commented as she left the kitchen with Hotaru who had   
  
her sandwich in hand.  
  
The next day was the outer scout meeting.   
  
  
  
"I call this meeting to order!" Trista commanded as   
  
Hotaru, Michelle, and Amara took their appointed seats for   
  
the outer scouts' meeting.  
  
  
  
There have not been any major attacks in awhile,"   
  
Trista observed out loud. The others nodded their heads to   
  
show that they understood and noticed. "Any suggestions on   
  
how we should be prepared?"  
  
  
  
"First of all we need to make sure our guards are   
  
no less down than if we had just had an attack. It's easy   
  
to almost forget about our other life when the attacks are   
  
few and far between," said Amara.  
  
  
  
The others nodded their heads again in agreement.   
  
"So true," Trista said quietly.   
  
  
  
"I say otherwise we just continue with our regular   
  
training and meetings," Amara finished.  
  
  
  
Michelle and Hotaru nodded their heads in agreement.  
  
  
  
"All right," Trista quietly agreed.  
  
Later that day, while Hotaru was away at a   
  
sleepover with the inners, she had a discussion with Amara   
  
and Michelle.  
  
  
  
The three sailor soldiers were sitting at home   
  
having a discussion. "Do you think we're missing out on  
  
anything?" Michelle asked.  
  
  
  
"Nah," Amara said. "Just girly stuff."  
  
  
  
Michelle giggled and leaned her head on Amara's   
  
shoulder. "I'm sure you're right love."  
  
  
  
Trista stared at the two of them as she smiled.   
  
"You know you two would have died to be as free as this   
  
back in the Moon Kingdom."  
  
  
  
"Tell us about it," Michelle requested.  
  
  
  
"Well...there isn't much to tell. Just the usual   
  
stuff. Your parents would not accept two women being in   
  
love and refused to let you see one another."  
  
  
  
"Did we eventually win them over?"  
  
  
  
"The war started soon afterwards, so who knows.   
  
But I think you would never have been able to win them   
  
over to be honest. They were all such traditionalists   
  
back then," Trista said honestly.  
  
  
  
Michelle and Amara grunted in disgust.   
  
"Traditionalists," they both said in disgust.  
  
The next day she spent reading with Amy at the   
  
library while most of the others went ice skating.   
  
  
  
Trista and Amy sat in the big chairs in the   
  
library reading their books. Amy had one out on Quantam   
  
Physics and Trista was reading up on alternate   
  
dimensional theories.   
  
  
  
They smiled at each other and sat down to their   
  
quiet reading time together, each relishing the alone   
  
time and quietness.  
  
The next day was the meeting for all sailor scouts.   
  
  
  
"We call this meeting to order!" Luna announced as   
  
all the sailor soldiers sat down in their respective chairs   
  
in human form.   
  
  
  
"Really LUna, things have been quiet for awhile.   
  
Is it actually necessary to continue to have all these   
  
weekly meetings?" Mina asked.  
  
  
  
"I suppose bimonthly would be enough now," she   
  
reluctantly conceded.   
  
  
  
Mina smiled and Serena shouted "Yippee."   
  
  
  
"It's nice to finally have some peace," Hotaru   
  
commented. The others nodded their heads in agreement.  
  
  
  
Seeing as there were no new events or fears, the   
  
meeting was quickly over.  
  
Later that day she spent with Raye on the   
  
balcony. The long black hair mingled with the long dark   
  
green hair that blew in the wind on the balcony. Raye   
  
and Trista were having a serious discussion about their   
  
worries that new enemies would be arriving soon.  
  
  
  
"And with all the time we've had off I'm   
  
worried they're going to be really tough ones, and we   
  
won't be prepared," Raye said.  
  
  
  
Trista nodded her head. "I know what you mean.   
  
We need to keep training and meeting as hard if not   
  
harder to prepare for what's to come."  
  
  
  
"Do you know something Trista?" Raye asked.  
  
  
  
"Not exactly. It's more of a feeling you know."  
  
  
  
"Yeah I know exactly what you mean. I have the   
  
same feeling."  
  
  
  
Trista lay in bed that night staring at her   
  
ceiling. She would have to get back to her post soon at   
  
the time gate. She wouldn't miss anything from this   
  
world. That was a lie. She would miss seeing Amara and   
  
Michelle snuggled in each other's arms. She would miss  
  
hearing the sound of their laughter. She would miss   
  
the feeling of Hotaru, who could stand near her but   
  
barely seem to exist. Just like the Hotaru she remembered   
  
from the past. She sighed-the past. A horrible time full   
  
of darkness and her mother's hands all over her body. She  
  
shuddered. She would miss the smell of Michelle's perfume.   
  
The taste of Amara's pancakes. The sight of the little   
  
child Hotaru and small lady, Rini. She would miss it, but   
  
she would be more at home at her post than in this house,   
  
on this earth. She preferred to wait in the infinity of   
  
time rather than deal with the drone and peculiarity of   
  
everyday life. A life of sorrow and pain for her, but she   
  
had new memories to replace the old ones. She knew it   
  
didn't work that way. She knew the old memories would   
  
always haunt her, but the new ones would bring her some   
  
peace and comfort through the dark memories.  
  
To Be Continued... 


	11. Death

Chapter Ten, Death:  
  
Of all the powers of goodness, love, and light, she had   
  
gotten destruction. Of all the powers of all the sailor scouts,   
  
she was the one with the power of death. Serena had the power   
  
of life. Mina of love. Her of...death. Death was her power. At   
  
least she also had healing capabilities. She sighed as the wind   
  
blew through her hair and her eyes briefly closed, smelling the   
  
scent of flowers wafting through to her through the air,   
  
inhaling the fresh air, tasting it in her mouth, feeling the   
  
edge of the balcony underneath her hands. She opened her  
  
purple colored eyes and sighed. She brushed back a strand of her   
  
dark black hair that went to her shoulders. She looked out   
  
across the town from her standpoint on the balcony, and she   
  
began to weep silently. Tears rolling down her cheeks, gasps   
  
coming from her mouth. She had been so alone for so long. The   
  
only good power she had was the healing power and even that   
  
had gotten her labeled a "freak" in school. She was  
  
so tired of life, and she had only just begun life. She had Rini   
  
now for a friend though so that was something, something to hang   
  
onto when all else didn't seem like enough to her. She was so   
  
tired of being tired all the time. *Stupid weak body,* she   
  
thought bitterly as she curled up on the ground and rocked her   
  
body back and forth, tears rolling down her face, pain etched   
  
in her face.   
  
She got up and ran through the house and out the front   
  
door and to the park where she sat and wiped her tears angrily   
  
off her face. *Why do I always have to go and do that?* she   
  
chided herself, but she knew it was no use. It was from a power   
  
she had been given at a young age, decisions-life and death   
  
decisions-that were left in her hands and her hands alone. Well   
  
not completely alone, the other scouts did have to grow up at a   
  
young age too, though besides Rini, none as fast or as soon as   
  
she had been made to grow up. She was the silent one who stayed   
  
in the background. She liked it that way, preferred it that way   
  
really. Because when she hid away, faded into the background  
  
then no one noticed her and no one could hurt her.  
  
Later that day she hung out with the rest of the outers   
  
at their house.  
  
  
  
"There's no peanut butter left in the fridge!" yelled   
  
the usually quiet Hotaru.   
  
  
  
"Check the bottom shelf towards the very back!" Amara   
  
yelled back as she entered the kitchen.  
  
  
  
"So you're finally up? Ah, here it is."  
  
  
  
"Yes I'm up. It's Michelle that takes twenty years to   
  
get out of bed in the morning," joked Amara.  
  
  
  
Trista nodded her head in agreement as she entered the   
  
kitchen. "So what are you making with peanut butter small one?"   
  
she asked Hotaru in endearment.   
  
  
  
"Just a peanut butter and banana sandwich," Hotaru   
  
responded.  
  
  
  
"Sounds yummy," mumbled Michelle as she walked into   
  
the kitchen, yawning. She looked at the clock. "What am I   
  
doing up before noon?" she wondered out loud as she saw the   
  
digits reading 10:08 a.m.  
  
  
  
"I don't know, but I plan to take advantage of it,"   
  
Amara teased, coming up and tickling her love from behind.   
  
  
  
"Hey!" Michelle said between giggles. Soon they were   
  
both on the floor rolling around in laughter as Hotaru and   
  
Trista looked back and forth at the scene before them and   
  
each other.   
  
  
  
Hotaru raised her eyebrows. "They are strange ones,"   
  
Trista commented as she left the kitchen with Hotaru who   
  
had her sandwich in hand.  
  
The next day she went to the outer scout meeting.   
  
  
  
"I call this meeting to order!" Trista commanded as   
  
Hotaru, Michelle, and Amara took their appointed seats for the   
  
outer scouts' meeting.  
  
  
  
There have not been any major attacks in awhile,"   
  
Trista observed out loud. The others nodded their heads to   
  
show that they understood and noticed. "Any suggestions on   
  
how we should be prepared?"  
  
  
  
"First of all we need to make sure our guards are no   
  
less down than if we had just had an attack. It's easy to   
  
almost forget about our other life when the attacks are few   
  
and far between," said Amara.  
  
  
  
The others nodded their heads again in agreement.   
  
"So true," Trista said quietly.   
  
  
  
"I say otherwise we just continue with our regular   
  
training and meetings," Amara finished.  
  
  
  
Michelle and Hotaru nodded their heads in agreement.  
  
  
  
"All right," Trista quietly agreed.  
  
Then she went to a sleepover with the inner scouts.   
  
  
  
"Take that!" Lita exclaimed as she threw a pillow   
  
straight at Raye's head.  
  
  
  
"oh you're gonna be soo sorry you did that!"   
  
exclaimed Raye, hitting Lita with a pillow full force. Lita   
  
grunted, and they all laughed at the funny expression on   
  
Lita's face.  
  
  
  
"How about we play Truth or Dare?" Raye suggested.  
  
  
  
"Yeah!" Mina agreed.  
  
  
  
"No way," Serena said.  
  
  
  
"Let's not play that," Hotaru requested.   
  
  
  
"Oh all right," Raye said, giving into Serena and   
  
Hotaru. An unusual occurrence that they both were thankful   
  
for.  
  
  
  
They all sat down in their sleeping bags and ate some   
  
milk and cookies while they were each lost in their own   
  
thoughts before Hotaru finally suggested they watch a movie,   
  
and everyone else agreed. There was much debating as to which   
  
movie to watch, but eventually they settled on watching a   
  
romantic and dramatic action/comedy to give everyone a taste   
  
of what they liked best in a movie.  
  
The next day she went ice skating with everyone   
  
except Trista and Amy who were at the library, and Serena who   
  
was grounded.  
  
  
  
Darien lifted Raye up into the air and spun her   
  
around on the ice. They were all out for a fun time of   
  
ice-skating. Everyone that is except Serena who was grounded   
  
and Amy as well as Trista who were reading. "Do you think   
  
Serena will be jealous when she hears about this?" Lita   
  
asked in a teasing manner.  
  
  
  
Darien dropped Raye, who landed on her butt. "You   
  
better not tell her," Raye hissed.  
  
  
  
Lita laughed. "Relax, I won't," she promised. "But   
  
it would be hilarious if I did..."  
  
  
  
Raye glared at her. "All right. All right. Calm   
  
down," Lita said, her hands up in the air.  
  
  
  
Amara lifted Michelle into the air and spun her   
  
around longer than Darien. "Ha," Michelle said. "My love is   
  
better than yours," she teased Raye.  
  
  
  
Darien blushed and Raye glared at her as she stood   
  
up.   
  
  
  
Hotaru and Mina were practicing their spins   
  
together.  
  
The next day was the meeting for all the sailor   
  
scouts.  
  
  
  
"We call this meeting to order!" Luna announced as   
  
all the sailor soldiers sat down in their respective chairs   
  
in human form.   
  
  
  
"Really LUna, things have been quiet for awhile. Is   
  
it actually necessary to continue to have all these weekly   
  
meetings?" Mina asked.  
  
  
  
"I suppose bimonthly would be enough now," she   
  
reluctantly conceded.   
  
  
  
Mina smiled and Serena shouted "Yippee."   
  
  
  
"It's nice to finally have some peace," Hotaru   
  
commented. The others nodded their heads in agreement.  
  
  
  
Seeing as there were no new events or fears, the   
  
meeting was quickly over.  
  
  
  
That evening she spent vegging out with Mina.   
  
  
  
Mina burped as Hotaru came out of the kitchen at   
  
the outers' house with a tray full of more goodies. They   
  
both sighed in contentment as they dug into their food.   
  
"Everybody needs a good binge now and then," Mina said in   
  
her characteristically cheerful mood."  
  
  
  
"Amen to that," Hotaru agreed, happily digging into   
  
some dessert.  
  
That nights Hotaru lay tossing and turning in bed,   
  
unable to find a comfortable position, unable to quiet her   
  
mind, unable to go to sleep. When she finally fell asleep   
  
it was a restless, fitful sleep. She was jumping into a   
  
crowd of black...black something-oil perhaps? No more   
  
like black beings, working for the dark powers, and she   
  
was swinging her glaive with all of her might. She  
  
she crashed onto the ground. She was dead. She woke up,   
  
sweat pouring down her face. At least she hadn't been   
  
faced with the decision to destroy everything and   
  
everyone including herself. She had died before she was   
  
forced to make that decision. She still felt like that   
  
neglected little girl that Trista had told her she was   
  
back in the Moon Kingdom. She knew this dream and that   
  
time well by now thanks to talking with Trista about it.   
  
She knew in this time though she did have a father to   
  
care for her and once had a mother that had cared for her   
  
deeply as well. Still death was something she questioned,   
  
feared, wondered about and yet one would think she knew   
  
all about it seeing as her powers of healing and   
  
destruction were connected to it.  
  
To Be Continued... 


	12. The Wish

Epilogue, The Wish:  
  
It was a chance comment by Luna. "Queen Serenity made wishes   
  
for all of you, and you're all wasting your opportunity!"It was that   
  
chance comment that got Serena to begin thinking. She was sitting   
  
on the edge of her bed, turning the crystal over in her hand. It   
  
sparkled with an array of colors. A rainbow of colors that   
  
represented each sailor soldier to Serena. Blue for Amy's pain and   
  
missing her always absent father. A darker blue, indigo perhaps,   
  
that represented Michelle and the impossible standards her usually   
  
drunk parents set for her. Yellow for Mina and her sacrifice of the   
  
one she loved so he could be happy. A darker yellow, golden almost,   
  
for Amara's life of constantly shifting houses, never finding one   
  
she could call home. Red for Raye's absent father and dead mother.   
  
Purple for Hotaru's dead mother. Crimson for Trista's long, lonely   
  
life at the time gate. Green for Lita's parents, killed in a plane   
  
crash. And of course the original silver color of the crystal that   
  
represented her own eternal ache along with the color of black for   
  
Darien's life in the orphanage after losing his parents in a car   
  
crash. Determination set on her face. She gripped the crystal hard   
  
and closed her eyes, making the wish with all her heart and soul.   
  
She wished for them all to have lives with good, loving,   
  
caring families. Power shot a blinding white light out of the   
  
crystal and granted her wish.  
  
The End of story three in a series of four stories. 


End file.
